Digital tools to improve parenting behavior in low-income settings: A mixed-methods feasibility study

IntroductionDigital parenting interventions could be potentially cost-effective means for providing early child development services in low-income settings. This 5-month mixed-methods pilot study evaluated the feasibility of using Afinidata, a comprehensive FBMessenger-based digital parenting intervention in a remote rural setting in Latin America and explored necessary adaptations to local context. MethodsThe study was conducted in three provinces in the Cajamarca region, Peru, from February to July 2021. 180 mothers with children aged between 2-24 months and regular access to a smartphone were enrolled. Mothers were interviewed three times in-person. Selected mothers also participated in focus groups or in-depth qualitative interviews. ResultsDespite the rural and remote study site, 88% of local families with children between 0-24 months had access to internet and smartphones. Two months after baseline, 84% of mothers reported using the platform at least once, and of those, 87% rated it as useful to very useful. After 5 months, 42% of mothers were still active on the platform, with little variation between urban and rural settings. Modifications to the intervention focused on assisting mothers in navigating the platform independently and included adding a laminated booklet with general information on child development, sample activities and detailed instructions on how to self-enroll in case of lost phones. ConclusionsWe found high access to smartphones and the intervention was well received and used in very remote areas of Peru, suggesting that digital parenting interventions could be a promising path forward for supporting low-income families in remote parts of Latin America. O_LIWhat is already known on this topic - Digital parenting interventions are potentially cost-effective means for providing early child development services in low-income settings but have not been well-studied to date. C_LIO_LIWhat this study adds - This mixed-methods pilot study in a very remote setting in Latin America showed that 88% of local families with children between 0-24 months had access to smartphones with internet and 42% were still engaging with a digital parenting intervention after 5 months. C_LIO_LIHow this study might affect research, practice or policy - High access to smartphones suggest that digital parenting interventions could be a promising path forward for supporting low-income families in remote parts of Latin America, but mothers might benefit from additional instructions to navigate all features of digital interventions on their own. C_LI